Stein (Skye)

For other places with the same name, see Stein (Disambiguation).

Stein (Gaelic: Steinn) is a small settlement on Waternish, the middle peninsula of the north coast of Skye, in the Scottish Hebrides. It's scenic but tiny.

More visitor facilities can be found a few miles east at Edinbane, which lies along the main road between Portree and Dunvegan.

Get in

You need wheels: follow A850 west from Portree. Stagecoach Bus 56 runs 3-5 times M-Sa from Portree to Edinbane on its way to Dunvegan but none go up the lanes of the peninsula. There are two lanes: one follows the west coast from Fairy Bridge on A850 north via Stein, Dunhallin and Trumpan, with a branch east to Geary. The other lane leaves A850 a mile west of Edinbane and follows the east coast as far as Greshornish. The two lanes don't join.

Get around

A bike maybe, but a car is better. Roads around Waternish peninsula are narrow single track roads with passing points.

See

• 1 Fairy Bridge is where the lane to Stein and Waternish Point branches off the main road, which now crosses the stream on a modern bridge. In folklore, the old stone bridge is where the fairy wife of a chief of the MacLeods left to return to her people.
• 2 Trumpan church. A medieval ruin. In the Battle of the Spoiling Dyke in 1578, a raiding party of the MacDonalds of Uist trapped the church congregation within and burned them alive; the local MacLeods killed all the raiders. The churchyard has the grave of Lady Grange (Rachael Chiesley, 1679-1745): after one insult too many against her estranged husband, he had her kidnapped and she spent her remaining 13 years in squalid captivity. She was held on St Kilda for 6 years then, just in time to thwart a rescue party, moved elsewhere, spending her last 3 years on Skye. (updated Jul 2024)
• 3 Waternish Point is reached by the west-side lane, which gets you within a mile, then walk. Vaternish Lighthouse was built by the Stevensons in 1924, but replaced by the present stubby tower in 1980. Nearby is the ruined settlement of Unish.

Do

• Go To St Kilda, ☏ +44 77899 14144, enquiries@gotostkilda.co.uk. In calm weather April-September, day trips to St Kilda sail from Stein at 7AM, a 4 hour crossing with 4 hours ashore on Hirta the main island, and back for 8PM. Booking essential, and check the website for restrictions such as mobility and minimum age. Adult £280. (updated Jul 2024)

Buy

• No stores hereabouts, do your shopping in Portree.
• 1 Skyeskyns, 17 Lochbay, Stein IV55 8GD, ☏ +44 1470 592237, office@skyeskyns.co.uk. Daily 9:30AM-5:30PM. Tannery selling sheepskin rugs and other woollen items. See the free 20-40 min tour of the tanning process on the first floor; ask the staff in the salesroom. Sheepskin and wool mainly from Skye sheep, but they also use imported hides. (updated Jul 2024)

Eat

Waternish Point

• Loch Bay Restaurant, 1 Macleods Terrace, Stein IV55 8GA (next to Stein Inn), ☏ +44 1470 592235. Tu-Sa 6:30-10:30PM. Top rank food at mid-range prices, majors on seafood but vegetarians well-catered for. (updated Jul 2024)
• Edinbane Inn, Old Dunvegan Rd, Edinbane IV51 9PW (by Edinbane Lodge), ☏ +44 1470 582414, info@edinbaneinn.co.uk. Apr-Sep M-Sa 5-8:30PM, Su 12:30-2:30 & 5-8:30PM. Inn, bar and restaurant in a renovated farmhouse. Restaurant serves bistro food, reservations advised. They also have rooms. (updated Jul 2024)

Drink

• The public bar at Edinbane Inn is open M-Sa 3-11PM, Su noon-11PM.

Sleep

• Skye Camping & Caravanning is by the main road a mile north of Edinbane, for CCC members only.
• 1 Edinbane Lodge, Old Dunvegan Road, Edinbane IV51 9PW, ☏ +44 1470 582217. Smart comfy small hotel in a 16th century hunting lodge, with good dining. B&B double £400. (updated Jul 2024)
• Edinbane B&Bs are Shorefield House, Ronan House and Kilcamb.
• 2 Stein Inn, Macleods Terrace, Stein IV55 8GA, ☏ +44 1470 592362. Small inn open all year; okay-ish bar food. B&B double £190. (updated Jul 2024)
• 3 Greshornish House, Edinbane IV51 9PN (leave A850 west of Edinbane, follow lane along loch), ☏ +44 1470 582266, info@greshornishhouse.com. Cozy upscale hotel, tucked away, but worth searching for. B&B double £300. (updated Jul 2024)
• Redwood House is a B&B just south of Greshornish House.

Connect

As of June 2024, Stein and Edinbane have 4G from EE but no signal from O2, Three or Vodafone. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• West along the main road is Dunvegan, where the castle dates from 13th century but is mostly a Victorian concoction.
• Uig is the ferry port for the Outer Hebrides, and the access road around Trotternish peninsula.
• Portree the main settlement on Skye has the most visitor amenities. Continue south via Broadford to return to the Scottish mainland.